So many of us are chronically sleep deprived due to a myriad of reasons – stress, over-stimulation from television, computers and phones, poor exercise and eating habits, etc.; I have never been a great sleeper and in fact am perfectly happy and energetic operating on six hours of sleep per night, which I’m consistently told is “not enough” but in recent years the added effects of menopause have made sleeping through the night even more … [Read more...]

Guitar classes. My husband gave me a series at McCabe's for Christmas this year. I haven’t played since I was in college but was inspired to pick it back up again after all this time.
It is definitely harder on this old brain to make it all work – fingering and plucking and reading and rhythm. But it is a fantastic reminder that it is diligence and persistence that make the difference, because at each class we are all a little … [Read more...]

The disastrous contaminated water situation in Flint, Michigan this year has alerted the populace across the country to the problem of lead contaminated water. People were unaware of lead as a problem in the first place, unless you remember leaded paint and leaded gasoline. Secondly, many of us have been unaware of how much lead is still used in our environment. Why is lead such a problem? There is no safe level for lead in the human body. … [Read more...]

Have you made a grocery list for the store? Have you made a list of what you want to pack for that weekend away? Have you written down a list of the errands you have to run when you get a minute? Congratulations! You’ve just planned more for those things than you have for your own death! The best gift you can give your family and loved ones is to fill out Directives pertaining to your health care and death care. You need to make your wishes … [Read more...]

How To Seduce Your Next Buyer, Client Or Student Via Radio
By Jackie Lapin
If you are a non-fiction author, you will want to rev up your publicity efforts around the launch of your book. One of the most effective tools is radio—both internet and broadcast.
As the head of company that offers Personal Development Radio Media Tours for authors in the personal growth, self-help, spiritual or health genre, we have really grown to love internet … [Read more...]

Are You Ready for Prime Time As a Speaker?
Or Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Speaking Career To Date?
By Jackie Lapin, founder of Conscious and Transformational Speakers
Most of us have a message inside that we yearn to deliver to the world. Many have gone so far as to write books. Some have even taken their message to the speaking platform.
But can you realize your dream of really impacting lives in a bigger way? Do you want … [Read more...]

Five Ways To Add More Play To Your Day
By Shelby Phillips Weinstein
Dr. Stuart Brown has spent much of his career studying the benefits of play for adults. He says we shouldn't just set time aside to play, instead we should infuse each moment with it!
I love that. But how do I do that? Really do that? Especially when I have a propensity for the serious side of life? Shocking I know, but true nonetheless.
I have given this a great deal of … [Read more...]

Pitter patter, pitter patter. The sweet sound of rain, an especially lovely sound in Southern California. I stand in my open doorway, inhaling the scent of rain and wet earth. I am fascinated by the alternating rhythms of the weather, from the gentle drops to a sudden downpour. Suddenly there is the rumble of the thunder and the flashing of lightening. ‘Goodness!’ I think. ‘It’s a storm! How thrilling!’
And in moments, my street is … [Read more...]

>I think sometimes the best way to travel is to make few plans and have even fewer expectations. Such was our impromptu trip to Monterey this January. We were amazingly fortunate with the weather, warm blue skies and a three day holiday. So last minute, we piled up the buggy and headed north. The only things on the agenda – a stop for lunch and quick hug for my daughter in San Luis Obispo, and a visit to the world famous Monterey … [Read more...]

In a strip 4 x 8, they pile the dirt. And in the dirt they dig a hole. And in the hole they put a tree. It is a young tree, delicate limbs, thin bark, roots just beginning to spread. The box is split, the tree hauled out, and it is plopped in the ground with little care and less grace. A tablet is tossed in, a splash of water, and the dirt is piled back around it. On either side two stakes are pounded in, and wires trap it tightly in … [Read more...]